Mount Townsend — Thursday, May. 28, 2020

Excellent day on "Sound of Music" Mountain. Julie Andrews would have warbled. Penny Creek Road is in reasonable shape. There is a slightly jarring, inhospitable, hand-lettered sign part way in stating "Covid 19-Go Home." I chose to ignore, and didn't! 

Be aware, however, that the sign at the left turn to the Lower Trailhead has been defaced and the arrows removed. Therefore, if you want the Lower Trailhead (most hikers don't) turn left here. If you want the Upper Trailhead (most hikers do) DON'T turn here, continue onwards less than a mile and turn left at the signed Upper Trailhead road,  just before the end of the pavement on Penny Creek Road. 

The parking lot was not full. The restroom was still closed, however. The  trail is in good shape. Only minor snow patches remain at Windy Camp and at the summit are easily crossed even without spikes. Folks were cooperative and good natured about maintaining social distance. No problems this day therefore.  On a busier day this popular trail could present distancing challenges because the tread is often narrow. 

The wildflowers are just getting going. The rhodies are not yet blooming from the trailhead on up, but are showing pink on the drive in up to about 2000'. Trilliums, crimson paintbrush, glacier lilys, and phacelia sericea (a/k/a silky phacelia) were the botanical standouts. I also spotted a single Olympic puffball in a side meadow and some tiny intensely pink orchids that I have not been able to identify near the trail down in the forest. 

The phacelia sericea deserves special mention. I spotted these several places on the summit, single blooms, about 1-2" tall and intensely blue. Very different from the larger, more purple/pink blossoms one usually sees in the Olympics, and which I did not see on this trip. Fascinating. I found myself wondering whether these could be a fairly unique or endemic species. I encourage hikers to seek them out; stunning little beauties.

The views were stupendous in every direction. The Westside of Vancouver Island was visible far up the Strait. So too, were the Gulf and San Juan island groups, as well as an arc of snowy peaks from the far off B.C. Mainland Coast Range, and from Mt Baker all the way fown to Mt. St Helens. The Puget Sound lowlands, pandemically clear perhaps, were spread out below. The various bays, islands and inlets were nicely punctuated by Seattle's downtown skyline and by ferry boats and other vessels ploughing the waters from the Strait, Admiralty Inlet and the Sound all the way to Tacoma. The Northern Interior Olympics still  resemble a snowy picket fence before the western and southwestern views. The range from Tyler Peak all the way to My Deception, and beyond to Mt Mystery, Warrior Peak and Mt Constance is still fully snowbound, as is the high country around Buckhorn Pass and in and above Silver Lakes Basin.

Temperatures were pleasant and winds gentle. So pleasant, apparently, that one solo hiker, with whom I spoke briefly, chose to hike all the way to the summit wearing only "Adam's raincoat," in the buff!  He told me he'd recently returned from a three-month stint at sea, and was celebrating his return to land. And had hiked similarly attired in 30+ other states. Nice tan!

No one seemed to take offense;  though sunscreen was definitely in order on this joyful day. Return hike was uneventfuI. I drove back home by the way, by continuing onwards on Penny Creek road via Bon Jon pass and Lake Leland back to Highway 101. Roads were clear and it made a nice loop.